"Top-rated” Indian restaurant owner fined after hygiene inspection found premesis “filthy”

9th September 2010, 10:36am

A court has fined the owner of “top-rated” Indian restaurant Chillies £800 - after inspectors found his establishment to be filthy, according to media reports.

The owner of Chillies restaurant in Aberfeldy, Mahumud Shaheen, admitted two contraventions of the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations - which carry a maximum £5000 fine - when he appeared at Perth Sheriff Court on Tuesday, after the premesis were found to have dirty walls, windows and doors.

Inspectors visited the restaurant and deemed it to be so poorly maintained that they had to come back the next day with a video camera to record evidence.

Perth Sheriff Court was told how the eaterie - which is listed by Trip Advisor as "the best place to eat in the Perthshire town" - had unclean doors, pipes, grouting, handbasin and taps during a visit by council inspectors on 28 September last year.

The 44-year-old owner admitted failing to keep the premises clean and failing to store raw ingredients in the appropriate manner.

Solicitor Jim Eodanable, defending, said Shaheen from Aberfeldy had been running the business successfully since 1996.

However, he said his client had taken on a second project, in Glasgow, and had appointed a manager at Chillies who failed to maintain hygiene standards.

Mr Eodanable said Shaheen had sacked the negligent manager and had since returned to spend more time at Chillies to restore its reputation.

The court was told that Chillies had been inspected again in April this year and had been awarded the highest standard of hygiene pass by the inspection team.

Sheriff Robert McCreadie said: "Every customer has the right to expect that food is prepared and kept safely on food premises.

"Clearly you failed in your duty, but I take into account the improvements which have been made."

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